Suction cleaner



Bf c. BECKER SUGTION CLEANERA April 10, 1934.

Filed lF'b. 6. 1931 2 Sheets-SheetY 1 April 10, 1934 a. BECKER 1,953,945

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Fb. 6. '1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. 10, 1934 j UNITED s'rivras sUc'rxoN CLEANER Bernard C. Becker, York, Pa., assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation ot Ohio Application February 6, 1931, Serial No. 514,010

` Y'I Claims.

'I'he present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and in particular to a new and improved4 air-directing means in a suction cleaner. More specifically the invention comprises the provision, in a. suction cleaner, cf means forthe ready conversion of said cleaner from a tool adapted for use in ,on the floor covering upon a surface covering, to a suction-creating unit adapted for use in olf the floor cleaning of articles such as drapes and furniture.

It is an object of the 'presentinvention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is a further object to provide, in a suction cleaner, new and improved air-directive means. Still another object is the provision of means, in a suction cleaner, whose function it is to convert the cleaner from a on the floor" cleaning tool to a suction-creating unit fo'r use with dusting tools in "oil the floor cleaning. A still further object is the provision of an improved valve in is disclosed and in which the saine reference character refers to like parts in the various views,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a modern suction cleaner embodying the .present invention with certain parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the cleaner shown in Fig. 1 with certain parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 disclosing the air-controlling valve in its nozzle- 40 sealing position.

Fig. 4 is a partial view Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a partial bottom view, with certain parts shown in section, of a modied embodiluponV the line 4-'4 of ment of thepresent invention.

Fig. 6 is a section uponthe line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 'I is a partial section upon the line 7-7 of Fig. 5. v

In the drawings a modern suction cleaner of the motor-driven agitator type is shown and includes a main casing 1 comprising a nozzle 2, a fan chamber 3, and an exhaust outlet 4. Mounted 'upon the main casing 1 immediately above the fan chamber 3 is ai'notor casing 5 which housesa suitable driving motor, which 'is not shown, which drives the suction-creating fan 6 and also the pulley '7 which is mounted on the lower end of the motor shaft below the eye 8 of the fan chamber 3 in what may be called a well 9. The cleaner is movably supported upon the surface undergoing cleaning byv front and rear wheels 10, 10 and 11, 11, respectively; while a pivoted handle 12 is provided by means of which the i operator can conveniently manipulate the machine.

In the operation of the present machine, as in the usual suction cleaner, the driving motor rotates the suction-creating fan at high speed vcreating a reduced pressure within the fan chamber 3 which functions to draw air between the 7 lips 13 and 14 of the nozzle 2, into the air passage formed by the depending rearwardly-exforward end. The air passes thru `this air pas- 7 sageway and enters the well 9 directly below the eye 8 of the fan chamber 3 where the action of the fan draws it thru the chamber and exhausts it by means of the exhaust outlet 4, into a suitable dust bag 4a, agitator 17 which is rotatably mounted within the nozzle 2 and which, in the operation of the machine, contacts the surface covering between the lips 13 and 14 at high speed being driven by The machine embodies an the power-transmitting belt 18 which connects 95 housing which is suitably shaped to form a con- 9 tinuation of the air channel thru thenozzle 1 and which guides the air into the eye 8 of the fan chamber. Such member usually comprises simply va shell-like member having a bottom wall and a curved side wall which `conforms rather closely to the inlet 8 of the eyev` ofthe fanchamber and which contacts the rear faces of the side walls of the air passageway at its point of exit from the nozzle 1. In such a cleaner, in theevent'that it is desired to transform the machine into a suc- 100 removal of the-pulley housing and the attach no ing of the new member requires a. certain amount of manual labor, including turning of the machine over and removing one member and the insertion of another, this method of transforma-v 5 tion of a suction cleaner has been found to be lacking in some respects. It is to overcome this objectionable feature and toincorporate means within the suction cleaner itself which will en-` tirely eliminate the undesirable labor of transformationthat the present invention is directed. According to the present invention there is positioned, immediately below the fan chamber 3, a housing comprising a curved side wall 19 and a bottom wall 20, which is formed integrally with said side wall; thehousing being indicated generally by the reference character 21. Housing 21 is so shaped that at its forward end the edges of the walls 19 and 20 form continuations of the side walls 15, 15 and the bottom plate 16 form- 20 ing the air passageway within the nozzle 1 of the cleaner. An inlet 22 is formed on one side of the wall 19 and extends outwardlyand slightly toward the rear of the machine. This inlet member is provided at its ends, for the purpose of secur- 25v ing the cleaner-end of a dusting tool, with an attaching means which is indicated generally by the reference character 23. It is thru this inlet 22 that the cleaning air is drawn when the machine is transformed for use with dusting tools.

In order that air will not be drawn simultaneously thru both the nozzle proper and the intake 22 valve means are provided which comprise gate members 24a. and 24h each of which is pivotally supported about a vertical axis between projecting lugs 25, 25 etc. formed on the forward ends of the side wall 19.` Asis clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4 these supporting lugs 25, 25 project forwardly of the housing 2l between the walls 15, 15 the lower lugs 25, 25 being received within recesses 25a formed in the rear edge of the bottom plate 16 for that purpose. It is desirable that the gate members be so positioned in order that they will be forward of the edge of the intake 8 when in their closed condition; a condition which would not be possible if they were positioned further back in the housing 21.

In Fig. 2 the valve comprising the gate members 24a. and 24h is shown in full lines in its nozzle-sealing position and in dotted lines in its alternate or inlet-sealing relationship. For the operation of the valve a transversely-extending actuating arm 26 is provided below the housing 2l which extends at one side of the cleaner in a loop suitable to be graspedby the hand of the operator. Actuating arm 26 is carried by spaced rocker arms 26a, 26a which are non-rotatably mounted at their opposite ends to the vertical shafts 27, 27 which are extended thru the lower lugs 25, 25. and on which the gates 24, 24 are secured in non-rotatable relation.

To transform the suction cleaner to a dusting tool unit, in accordance with the present invention, it is only necessary for the operator to pull the actuating arm 26 transversely of the machine to its outermost position thru the use of the curved portion. The arm 26 advances outwardly, or upwardly as shown in Fig. 2', the starting position being that shown in dotted lines. and as it moves the rocker arms 26a, 26a are pivoted, functioning to rotate the shafts 27, 27 which transmit that rotation to the gate members 24a and 24h. Both gate members rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2. the gate 24o advancing towards the nozzle of the machine from its rearward position, or that shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 2, where it performed the useful function of entirely sealing the opening of the inlet 22. Gate 24a advances' toward the eye'ofgthe fan chamber and the two gate members meet when both extend parallel to the axis of the nozzle. Both members 24a and 24h are provided with recesses at their inner ends, as indicated at 28, 28, to accommodate the powertransmitting belt which remains in position regardless of the valve position. With the valve closed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in full lines, the nozzle inlet is' entirely closed from the inlet of the fan chamber with the exception of the small openings formed by the recesses 28, 28 provided for the driving belt thru which an inappreciable quantity of air may leak. With the valve so positioned air is drawn thru the inlet 22 into the fan chamber and there remains only to attach the cleaner-end of the dusting tools to the inlet 22, as by sliding into the end thereof, and the machine is transformed and ready for operl ation as a dusting tool unit.

To again place the machine in condition for operation as a surface-cleaning unit it is only necessary to push the actuating arm 26 to its initial position, as shown by the dotted lines shown in Fig. 2, which will cause the gate members 24a and 24h 1o resume their former positions, those shown by the dotted lines, and the nozzles will again be ,connected by an unobstructed air passageway with the eyeof the fan chamber and the inlet 22 will be sealed therefrom..

The present construction has the added advantage that the entire valve mechanism is carried by the pulley housing 21 which is attached to the underside of the cleaner in the usual manner, there being provided projections 19a, 19a at the forward edges of the side wall 19 which seat within suitable recesses in the rear of the walls 15, l5 and which serve to support the forward end of 115 the pulley housing while at the rear end a rearwardly extending lug 29 is secured in place by means of a. spring-pressed plunger 30 carried on the underside of the fan chamber. As the entire valve mechanism is carried by the housing 2l it is 120 possible for the present invention to be embodied in cleaners which have been manufactured with the old type pulley housing it being necessary vonly to provide a new bottom plate having slots to receive the forwardly-projecting lugs 25, 25 125 on the housing constructed in accordance with the present invention. The housing 21 in the present invention can be removed io replace the driving belt on the driving pulley 7, whenever that operation becomes necessary, with the same effort as is required by the pulley housing unprovided with valve means.

Referring now to Figures 5 tov 7 inclusive, a modified embodiment of the present invention is disclosed, in which the air-controlling valve is carried within the nozzle in the air passageway While the pulley housing 21, which is detachably retained by the lugs 19a, 19a, lug 29 and the spring-pressed plunger 30, includes only the inlet 212 and the attaching means 23. The gate members 24a and 24h are positioned further forward in the air passageway leading from the nozzle to the fan chamber and are pivoted upon shafts 31, 31 which extend rotatably within bores 32, 32 provided in a thickened portion o1' the side wallsr 15, 15 of the air passage ,and which also form downwardly facing shoulders 33, 33. Small segmental gears or pinions 34, 34 vare mounted nonrotatably upon each shaft 31 immediately under the shoulders 33, 33 and intermesh with the 150 toothed ends of a sliding shaft or rack 35 whichis carried by an enclosing housing 36 secured to the underside of the fan chamber 3 which forms the top of the air passageway at that point.

One of the shafts 31 extends upwardly thru the iop of the nozzle 2 and is provided with a knurled knob or nut 37 by which the operator may rotate the shaft and so the gate members the gate members rotate in opposite angular directions and both extend rearwardly at the sides of the pulley housing when in the inlet-closing position. To convert the machine toa dusting tool unit it is only necessary for the operator to rotate thevknurled knob 37 adjacent the motor casing which causes the shaft 31 to rotaie and with it the valve section 24a. This `rotation is transmitted thru the pinion 34 carried byl that shaft 31, thru the transversely extending rack 35, to the remaining pinion 34 which, being nonrotatably mounted relative to its shaft, causes that shaft to rotate and so the valve section 24h. Each gate member pivots about its axis, a shaft 31 in each case. and approaches the other member making contact therewith as is clearly `shown inY Fig. 5, forward of the inlet 8 of the fan chamber 3 yet in a' position in which they approach each other at an angle. The invention as embodied in thisv modification is substantially that shown in the first embodiment and differs therefrom only in the speciilc application of the principle involved.

- ing to said inlet, power-transmissie having an inlet, a plurality of passageways leadingl to said inlet. spaced pivoted gate members in one of -said passageways comprising a valve to selectively open or close said passageway from said inlet, means to actuate said valve, characterized by the fact that one of said gate members is positioned adjacent a second passageway and seals itfrom said inlet when said valve is in the open position for said ilrst passageway. 2. In an air-directive construction, a casing havingl an inlet, a plurality of s: f 1 ays leadmeans extended through one of said eways, spaced cooperating gate members in said one passageway pivoted upon the opposite Vsides thereof and at the sides of said power-transmission means and adapted to make contact andenclose said power ton means in one Aposition andto lie adjacent the opposite walls of said passageway in a second position to selectively seal or open said 'www relative to said inlet. and means ex.,

terlor of said to manually Voperate said valve.

3. In an air-directive and power-transmitting construction, a casing having an inlet. a. plurality ofpassagewaysleadingtosaidinletmowtrans- Lacasse I A q 3 mission'nieans positioned in one of said passageways, a valve in th'e same passageway comprising spaced gate members pivoted at the sides thereof,

one of said members being pivoted adjacent a second eway, characterized by the fact that in one position said valve closes the enclosing eway and surrounds said power transmission means while in a second position it opens said enclosing passageway and seals said second passageway.

4. In a suction cleaner, a fan casing having an inlet, a suction nozzle, an agitator in said nozzle, an airy passageway between said inlet and the mouth of said nozzle, a driven shaft positioned in said inlet, a power-transmitting beit in said air-passageway connected to said shaft, and to said agitator, a second passageway leading to said inlet, a divided valve pivotally mounted and extending across said first4 passageway and enclosing said power-transmitting belt, and means to manually operate said valve to pivot the sections of said valve to the sides of said first passageway.

5. In a suction cleaner, a fan casing having an inlet, a suction nozzle,` an agitator in said nozzle, an air passageway between said inlet and the lmouth of said nozzle, a driven shaft positioned in said inlet, a power-transmitting beit in said air-eway connected to said shaft and to said agitator, a second p eway leading vto said inlet, a divided valve pivqtally mounted and extending across said rst passageway and.en

closing said power-transmitting belt, one part v valve sections'seals saidisecond passageway from said inlet.

6. In a suction cleaneii, a fan casing having an I inlet, a suction nozzle, an agitator in said nozzle, lan air passageway between said inlet and the mouth of said nozzle, a driven shaft positioned in said inlet, a power-transmitting belt in said air passageway connectedI to said shaft and'to said agitator, a second passageway leading to said inlet, a divided valve vpivotally mounted and extending across said nrst passageway and enclosing said power-transmitting belt, and means to manually actuate said valve comprising rocker arms non-rotatably connected to said valve sections and a shaft pivotally carried by said arms and extended to the side of said cleaner.

'1. In a suction cleaner, a fancasing having an inlet', a suction nozzle, an agitator in said nozzle,

inlet, a divided valve pivotalhr mounted and extending across said first passageway and enclosving said power-transmitting belt, and means to manually actuate said valve comprising pinions carried by each of said valve sections. a rack connecting said pinions and means external of said cleaner to rotateone of said pinions., i

BERNARD c. 

